Palestine brought to Qatar through music at D’reesha Festival
A wave of nostalgia swept the audience at Education City as they listened to songs reflecting Palestinian heritage
Palestinian singer Dalal Abu Amneh entertained the audience with a musical concert at Education City during Qatar Foundation’s D’reesha Performing Arts Festival with songs connecting the Palestinian diaspora with their roots and their homeland.
QF’s D’reesha Performing Arts Festival hosted the concert as well as other cultural events during the World Cup in celebration of the Palestinian culture while Amneh described the show as “a family reunion”.
Joined by a group of Palestinian female singers from Nazareth as well as residents of Qatar, Dalal Abu Amneh started the show with a song titled I Love You, Jerusalem, composed in the 1960s by the late Qatari composer Abdel Aziz Al-Nasseri.
"Today we celebrate songs from our heritage that reflect our attachment to our land and our history. Today, we bring alive Palestine that is in our hearts and will remain there, regardless of who disagrees,” Abu Amneh said.
“During the historic sporting event of the World Cup, Palestine is present – with its flag fluttering in the stadiums and throughout Qatar, despite the absence of a national football team that represents it,” Abu Amneh said.
Singers who presented the show, and the audience, wore Palestinian costumes with unique patterns of Palestinian embroidery.
Performers – who included researchers of Palestinian heritage – presented excerpts from the Palestinian Mahaha, a female genre of singing that brought to the audience vivid scenes from the alleys of Palestine that took them back to their roots.
The audience – made up of all ages – gathered in a folkloric dance to songs that reflected their identity and heritage.
The audience, also consisted of people with different abilities, attended the show in celebration of the Palestinian heritage.
